'Insulting Erdoğan': Nearly 10,000 people stood trial in a year, including 290 children

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About 45,000 people were investigated for "insulting the president" last year, according to figures compiled by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu.

Lawsuits were filed against 9,773 people, including 290 children, Tanrıkulu said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Eighty-four of the 290 children were in the 12-15 age group and 206 were in the 15-18 age group, he noted.

"President pressed charges against 290 children. He brought them to the court. He will get compensation from them, have them convicted and then he will be happy," said Tanrıkulu. "Is he aware of these? Does he do these himself or do his attorneys do these?"

Among the people who stood trial for insulting the president, 3,655 were convicted and 3,736 were given a deferred sentence, said Tanrıkulu.

While cases against 1,013 people were dropped, only 14 percent of those who faced this charge were acquitted, the deputy stressed.

"So, if the president filed a complaint and a case is filed against you, you have no chance of being acquitted. While the rate of [acquittal] is 60 or 70 percent in other crimes, it's 14 percent for insulting the president," he remarked.

The law of insulting the President started to be implemented more frequently after the election of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2014. (KÖ/VK)